Where are all the decent guys hiding?
That’s a question you hear more often than you should in a city with well over a million people. There’s no doubt that finding a good match is on many Calgary young professionals’ minds, and that’s where Myke Macapinlac comes in.
Like many smart entrepreneurs, Myke was clever in identifying a niche that hadn’t been filled. Through the Social Man Project, he works boot camps, workshops and on one-on-one sessions with guys who need a little help in the dating department.
When you meet him for the first time you’re instantly impressed with the easy demeanour and positive energy of this Engineering Tech student-turned-dating coach. Just be warned: don’t compare him to Ryan Gosling from Crazy Stupid Love. He prefers to think of himself more as Will Smith in the film Hitch.
Ladies, you’ll want to send this guy a thank you card.
Elevator Pitch: Describe your job in a nutshell.
I give women good men.
Why did you start working at your company? What was the inspiration for this career route?
My goal is to bring honesty and authenticity back into relationships. It sucks that so many men have been brainwashed by marketing messages from the media about what it takes to become attractive and desirable.
I know that from first-hand experience.
Similar to other people, I have my own set of internal struggles and insecurities. I didn’t feel like I was enough as a man and I kept comparing myself to others.
Because of that experience, I did things for all the wrong reasons. I kept looking externally for validation until I realized that it has to come from me first.
Success in dating has no shortcuts. You need put in the work to become the person you want to attract. A meaningful relationship comes from living a lifestyle worth inviting women into.
What is the best part of what you do on a day-to-day basis? The most challenging part?
The best part of what I do is seeing men transform after the program right before my very eyes.
They come in with limited beliefs, self-doubt and fear of failure. They leave with perspective, skills and possibilities.
The most challenging part would have to be planning and staying organized. As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to get distracted and feel overwhelmed since I’m running the entire company on my own.
When I wake up every day, I’m faced with an infinite amount of options. It was a lot to handle, especially because I don’t really have anyone to answer to.
The biggest mistake that I’ve made in the past is to do things that didn’t need to get done right away.
My mentor helped me implement the “just-in-time learning” strategy. It allowed me to stay focused on my goal and only consume information that’s relevant to where I am.
Since I’m only doing one thing, I’m able to do the task all the way to completion.
What is one sign that you’ve seen over the years to suggest that your work/life balance is off?
When my Mom calls me jokingly to ask if I forgot what her phone number is. That, and when I get kicked out of a coffee shop because they’re already closed and I didn’t even realize it.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I want to impact as many people as possible to focus on the most important relationship in their lives, which is the one with themselves.
I aspire to become a best-selling author of multiple books and a recognized speaker in the relationship space. I also see myself as the host of one of the biggest personal development podcasts for men.
What is one major challenge that you’ve had to overcome in your career? How did you overcome it?
My biggest obstacle was overcoming the fear of the unknown. But I used it as an asset instead by telling myself, “Because I don’t know what’s going to happen, I can make anything happen.”
What does success look like to you? Does Money = Happiness?
Success is about having the ability to choose. It’s when some can wake up in the morning, go to bed at night, and in between they get to do things that matter to them.
The pursuit of money for the sake of having it doesn’t equal happiness. It should be used as a tool to support individuals in their journey to work towards their ideal lifestyle.
What is the most memorable milestone in your career?
It would have to be working with my first client. Although I knew I had a great idea and value to offer, having someone invest money into what I put together made me actually believe it.
That moment made me realize that I could make a career out of this outside of a traditional 9-to-5. As long as I come from a place of service, I’ll get what I want in the end by helping others get what they want first.
Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
I want to start off by sharing a quote from Jim Carrey: “You can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”
Happiness in life is your responsibility. You can’t rely on other people for that.
You are born with everything you need to become successful. As a child, you already knew what you were meant to do. That’s why you were drawn towards certain interests more than others.
Get in touch with that child-like curiosity again. Listen to what your intuition is telling you, honour it, and act on it.
Also, don’t make permanent life choices while you’re young. Instead of buying a house and a fancy car, invest in your personal development. Travel, talk to interesting people, and experience as much as you can.
Once you’ve done that, you can make an intelligent decision on where you want your life to go. Up until then, avoid commitments that will tie you down.
Where is your favourite place to wine/dine in your city and why?
Any restaurant can serve great tasting food and beverages. But it’s the environment and service that enhance the experience.
For this one, I would have to pick Earls Tin Palace. I’ve always had a great time there whether I’m eating out on my own or out with close friends. They’re consistent and make me feel like I matter as a customer.
When you’re not working how do you love to spend your “Me” time?
I’m an extrovert so I recharge around good people. So, to answer your question, I really enjoy going to personal development seminars and retreats. The one that I highly recommend is The Higher Purpose Project.
They provide an experience and a community for thought leaders and entrepreneurs to really get in touch with their core motivation. Going there allowed me to get clarity on what is it that I really want to do to play a bigger role in my life.
Where is your favourite place to travel? Why?
I feel most at home in California, LA specifically. Most of my friends and other people that I look up to from my industry are all there as well.
When I’m around them, I feel “normal.” I mean, how often do you meet someone who coaches men on dating and relationships for a living?
The city has so much to offer as well – from food to culture, fashion and live events. The nightlife is amazing, and let’s not forget the tacos. You gotta try the tacos in LA; they’re incredible.
If you had to choose a theme song, what would it be?
Hustler Musik by Lil’ Wayne from Tha Carter II gets me so fired up!
If you weren’t doing what you’re doing, what would you be doing?
I’ve had to sift through so many unfulfilling jobs to create my career today. I actually wouldn’t know what else I would do.
My business has so much variety. It’s hard to get bored. Speaking, writing, podcasting, marketing, product development and coaching keep things really interesting for me.
Do you support any charities? If so, which one(s) and why is that important to you?
I don’t really support any charities at the moment. But I am so willing to sit down with aspiring entrepreneurs at my own time to give them guidance for free and point them in the right direction.
I’ve had so many other successful people do that for me, so I’m happy to pass it forward.
That counts, right?
What to you is notable?
This reminds of a quote by Steve Martin: “Be so good they can’t ignore you.”
The moment you’re in alignment with your purpose, you’ll do remarkable things as a by-product. You’ll feel so immersed in what you do that sleeping becomes the worst part of your day.
When you’re leaping out of bed because you can’t wait to get to work, that’s when people begin to take notice. It’s hard not to because passion is very contagious.
Blackberry, iPhone, Android, or Other?
iPhone all way! It has everything I need and it’s so easy to use.
#NOTABLE
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